Movie Reviews & Interviews from Washington

‘Lone Survivor’ Review: Patriotic, Courageous & Brutal

Lone Survivor is extremely well acted, realistically shot and one of the most patriotic films I’ve seen in years. At the end of the film, you will feel especially proud to be an American and have even more respect for the men who fight for our country.

Based on the New York Times bestseller, Lone Survivor is tells the true story about Operation Red Wings in Afghanistan in 2005. The plot focuses on four Navy SEALs Marcus (Mark Walhberg), Mike (Taylor Kitsch), Danny (Emile Hirsch) and Matt (Ben Foster), who must decide how to proceed when Taliban locals compromise their op.

Written for the screen and directed by Peter Berg (creator of Friday Night Lights), Lone Survivor features some of the most realistic war scenes I’ve seen since 2012’s Act of Valor and even 1998’s Saving Private Ryan. It’s bloody, brutal, terrifying, courageous and intense. I must’ve clapped my hand to my mouth a dozen times throughout the last half of the film.

Mark Walhberg is incredible as our lead, but Kitsch, Hirsch and especially Foster are equally as memorable as our star SEALs. The moment when Foster’s character says, “I am the reaper,” will give you goosebumps as he shoots down members of the Taliban and when Hirsch’s character is talking about his mother back at home will make you cry. These actors gives such strong and memorable performances and even with recognizable faces especially of Wahlberg and Kitsch, it feels like we are right there with these SEALs as they fight during their mission.

There was a few times where Berg used slow motion, which wasn’t necessary at all since this incredible story tells itself in a way that doesn’t call for any over-dramatization. The make-up department led by Howard Berger and Greg Nicotero (AMC’s The Walking Dead) is unbelievable. The make-up prosthetics and special effects make-up are some of the best I’ve seen in film.

Besides the few Hollywoodesque photographed scenes, Lone Survivor is the ultimate tale about a band of brothers who sacrifice everything for their country, still putting up a fight until their very last breath. The performances from our four main actors are extraordinary and Berg’s storytelling ability makes this incredibly tragic, yet heroic true story flow freely.